Your refrigerator is one of the most used appliances in your house. You may not realize that it also can be a dangerous item. With summer arriving and children playing outside, this message bears repeating. Children do not realize that an old freezer or refrigerator that is in a garage, backyard, shed or field, is dangerous. Children play games such as hide and seek and feel that the abandoned appliance is a great spot to hide from friends. Unfortunately, it is also a death trap.

Old refrigerators and freezers should always have the doors taken off when not in use. They need to be disposed of properly and not left where a child may get trapped. Even if your refrigerator is in running order, but not used, it needs to be properly taken care of so that it is not a danger to a child.

Several laws have been put into place that have lowered the incidence of “Refrigerator Death”. The most prominent is the Refrigerator Safety Act that went into effect in 1956. This act required all refrigerators to be openable from the inside. This is why all of our refrigerators and freezers now close with magnetic opening/closing mechanism. This minor adjustment has saved many lives.

A second danger that we don’t often realize is fire. This can occur when you move your refrigerator and it accidently sits on the cord. The cord can be easily cut through and expose dangerous wire that can start a fire.  Water pooling in the unit can also trigger a fire when it leaks into the electrical system. You should regularly check your refrigerator, especially if you have recently moved it.

Disposing your refrigerator can pose another danger to you. Refrigerators contain an assortment of chemicals that are not ecologically friendly. These chemicals keep the refrigerator cold and are harmful. These chemicals affect the ozone layer and if they leak into ground water can affect communities. Many companies exist that can take your refrigerator. Let professional companies handle the disposal of the unit.

Keep refrigerator dangers to a minimum by using caution and common sense. Your refrigerator is a great appliance, let’s make it a safe one to have.